Strange Smell endangers employees from KSD

Kendra Peek/kpeek@amnews.com

In strange news, Kentucky School for the Deaf employees had to evacuate the school because of an odd odor that was noticed in the building. Investigators determined that this odd odor was caused by an “uninterruptible power supply” that is found in the UPS/server room. It was determined that that battery components had overheated and swelled and burned.

To find the source of the odor, firefighters initially evacuated the building and began a wide search. After they had ruled out more dangerous gasses, Danville Fire Chief Woody Ball said they worked to narrow down room by room, ultimately finding the server room to be the origin.

The gasses created by the lead acid batteries in the UPS were identified as a mixture of nitric oxide and sulfur, said Ball. While those can be deadly in high doses, he assured there was no danger remaining in the building. Employees initially complained of itching, burning eyes and headaches, but no one was severely injured. One person was treated at the scene.

Did you know?

About 20 employees at Brady Hall on the campus of the Kentucky School for the Deaf were evacuated Wednesday after a strange odor was noticed in the building — caused by an uninterruptible power supply, or UPS, in the server room. The UPS is used in the case of a power outage, to ensure that phone lines remain operational for about 20 minutes.